Our Mission

For nearly a century, Society maps have told the world’s story, from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the heights of Everest, from the ends of the Earth to the far reaches of the universe. Since our founding in 1915 as a unique Division of the National Geographic Society we’ve had some incredible highlights:

• May 1918, under the supervision of the First Chief Cartographer Alfred H. Bumstead, the first map Supplement: “Western Theatre of the War” is released.
• November 1925, “Arctic Regions” map is released, still showing significant areas as “unexplored.”
• The Bumstead photo-lettering machine is invented enabling photographic production of map names from hand drawn type. This innovation enables maps to be created quicker while maintain the look and feel of hand drawn type.
• The “Reaches of New York City” map is unveiled in 1939 in time for the World’s Fair, designed by Charles Riddiford. He would come to design the distinctive typefaces that give National Geographic Maps their trademark appearance – many are still in use today.
• The December 1941 World Map supplement enables listeners to locate all 128 place-names mentioned in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s February 1942 radio address.
• The annotated map, “Europe and the Near East,” released in 1943 was used in the White House Map Room.
• Wellman Chamberlain, Chief Cartographer from 1961 to 1971, devises the Chamberlin Trimetric projection enabling atlas maps to be drawn with minimum proportion to scale.
• 1963, the first edition of the National Geographic Atlas of the World is released
• For the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, the Society released a compilation of 569 LandSat views of the United States creating a portrait of the country in close to natural colors.
• 1983, the earliest mapping application workstation, Scitex, is installed.
• Brad and Barbara Washburn devote seven years to making a precise large scale map of the Grand Canyon, released as a supplement in July 1978. Ten years later they would later create the most detailed and accurate map of Mount Everest.
• In the mid 1980s the cartographic division moved to GIS with ARC/INFO software.
• 1994, National Geographic Society launches National Geographic Ventures a wholly owned for-profit arm which includes the Maps Division.
• In 1997 National Geographic Society acquired Colorado based Trails Illustrated and began embarking on products designed specifically for outdoor recreators and travelers.
• 1999 the online MapMachine is launched
• July of 2000 National Geographic Maps acquires San Francisco based Wildflower Productions, and adds their MapMachine Kiosk and TOPO! Outdoor Recreation Mapping Software to its core offerings.
• 2005 the 8th edition of the World Atlas is published containing the first fully integrated online components, and over 15,000 updates, and 140,000 place names.